"Republic's decision to purchase Shuttle America is in anticipation of increased demand for the Embraer 170 and to provide Republic with the opportunity to operate aircraft larger than 70 seats such as the Embraer 190 while complying with certain scope restrictions that some of its major airline partners currently have in place. Republic intends to add the Embraer 170 to the Shuttle America operation as soon as possible and plans to phase out all turboprop flying by the end of 2005."

Very interesting...Wonder who is going to pick up the prop flying for UA out of IAD? Maybe OO?

Well, thank god that lousy excuse of an airline might actually get some improved service. That's if it's anything close to Chautauqua, and being owned by the same company, one can assume it will be. Does this mean we could see some E190s flying for UAX? It would make sense to replace the 146, and I've heard it might even be able to fly into Aspen?

As for prop flying...IF it's replaced, it would almost have to be Mesa or Skywest.

This is just getting rediculous.....United has the most messed up regional system of anyone, and it just keeps getting wilder.

Its really a wild-card whether United will replace prop feed or just go with RJ's out of IAD. Can United economically fly RJ's on routes like CRW, SCE, ABE, BGM, CHO, AVP, ROA, TYS, DAY and still maintain the frequency that they do? I would venture to say no in many of these cities.

I could possibly see someone like Colgan coming in and picking up some prop flying out of IAD, unless Mesa is going to move some Dash-8's to the East Coast.

This has been rumored for the last month or two, because Republic couldn't get a certificate for the 170/190 flying, and it needed to get the planes off the Chautauqua certificate because of the penalties it is paying AA.

I'm the expert on here on two things, neither of which I care about much anymore.

I have no idea what the problems were, I just know they were having an extremely difficult time with it. You wouldn't expect it to be that big of a deal, since other airlines have done it, recently including Mesa/Freedom and Piedmont/Potomac. If I had to guess, I'd say that Republic went into the process expecting for the application to be rubber-stamped, and the FAA didn't take to kindly to that--again, that's just a guess as to what the problem might have been.

It'll be interesting to see if Trans States and GoJet have the same problem.

I'm the expert on here on two things, neither of which I care about much anymore.

Republic Airways Holdings was formed as a parent company to maintain different subsidaries in order to get around scope clause rules at different airlines.

Chautauqua flies as American Connection, Delta Connection, USAirways Express, and United Express with a fleet of ERJ-135, 140, and 145

Shuttle America flies a fleet of Saabs as United Express out of IAD.

Republic Airlines was set up to operate E-170's for United Express and Delta Connection. The only reason for this was that AA pilot's scope clause does not allow any carrier to operate 70 seaters except for the 25 CR7's flown by Eagle that are exempt. However, Republic needed to obtain an operating certificate which it expected to have by June 2005. It has obviously failed at its efforts, and obtaining a certificate is a lengthy process.

CHQ has been operating the E-170's for UAX on its certificate for a while now. Because of this, they have paid AA approximately $500,000 since the E-170's went in service back in 2004. Beginning 4/21/05 (yesterday) CHQ must pay AA $36,000 per day that the E-170's operate under CHQ. Thus you can obviously see why they want to get the E-170's off the CHQ certificate ASAP. They won't likely get moved over to the Shuttle America certificate until the fall time frame.

Quoting SCE" class=quote target=_blank>PSU.DTW.SCE (Reply 2):Its really a wild-card whether United will replace prop feed or just go with RJ's out of IAD. Can United economically fly RJ's on routes like CRW, SCE, ABE, BGM, CHO, AVP, ROA, TYS, DAY and still maintain the frequency that they do? I would venture to say no in many of these cities.

as far as i know the 3x saab to IAD does great. mostly connecting of course. they could definately use a 50 seater. i think a 70 seater may be too much.

Quoting A330323X (Reply 6):You wouldn't expect it to be that big of a deal, since other airlines have done it, recently including Mesa/Freedom and Piedmont/Potomac.

Actually, Potomac was using an existing certificate as I recall; Paradise Island Airways' if I'm not mistaken.

Quoting PSU.DTW.SCE (Reply 11):Brasilla's at IAD seem like a disaster in the making. The need more capacity there than at 29 seater

I can't see how much worse the E120 would do at IAD in the summer than it would at either SLC (4200') or DEN (5300') -- or even IAH where CO Express and more recently CO Connection used them. IAH easily trumps IAD for heat and humidity.